Turner and Education Queensland

Application number:
2000 S0032
Decision date:
Tuesday, Oct 24, 2000

Turner and Education Queensland
(2000 S0032, 24 October 2000) 

The applicant had sought access to material concerning options, recommendations and plans for Oxley State High School.  The Department had given him access to all relevant documents, with the exception of part of one sentence contained in a memorandum from the Director-General to the Minister. 

The matter in issue concerned another school.  The Department claimed that it was exempt under s.41(1) of the FOI Act and that its disclosure could reasonably be expected to affect adversely the morale of the staff and students at that other school.  However, the Information Commissioner decided that the balance of the public interest lay in better informed public debate on the issues concerned and I therefore found that the matter in issue did not qualify for exemption under s.41(1) of the FOI Act.